Wear it anew.
The way you imagine wearing something when you buy it and the way you want to wear it after some time has passed are surprisingly often different.
"Now I’d like to pair what I bought back then with this."
"Maybe I’ll wear that jacket again after all."
It is a little different from the pleasure of welcoming new clothes,
Revisiting clothes you have owned for some time and wearing them again as the person you are now.
This, too, is one of the pleasures unique to those who love clothes.
Hello.
I’m Tomioka from cliché.
I feel that cantáte clothing has a breadth that allows you not to settle on just one way of wearing it for a single season.
You might pair them with different trousers from the ones you wore when you bought them, or use something you once wore on its own as an inner layer. As time passes and your tastes and wardrobe change, the same clothes can reveal a new side of themselves.
You can rethink how to wear them as many times as you like, according to your mood at the time.
I think this is possible precisely because cantáte makes clothes that are not bound by trends alone.
August has come to an end, and September has begun.
The days are still hot, but I have begun to sense the changing season in the air in the mornings and evenings and in the earlier sunsets. I also had a slightly chilly day last week and pulled out a layer I had not worn in some time.
This transitional period between seasons is a time when we wonder what to wear, but also remember clothes we have not worn in a while.
So this time, I would like to introduce several items currently available at cliché that I hope you will take another look at for the coming season.
Worn with contemporary clothing, it may reveal a way of styling it that feels different from before.
First up is the WW Ⅱ Coverall Jacket.
<cantáte>
"WW Ⅱ Coverall Jacket"
¥77,000 TAX IN
The fabric used is 10-ounce selvedge denim.
It is somewhat different from the thick, weighty fabric that typically comes to mind when you hear denim. Relatively lightweight and with a feel closer to a shirt, it is an easy fabric to incorporate into everyday wear.
At 172 cm tall, I am wearing size 44 in BLACK and size 48 in INDIGO.
Size 44 is a true-to-size fit that sits neatly around the shoulders. Before actually putting it on, I wondered, "Would 44 be too small? Would it feel tight across the shoulders?" But it was not constricting at all.
Size 48, meanwhile, offers more room through the body and shoulders, creating a slightly more relaxed way of wearing it.
For a clean fit, choose 44. For a roomier fit to wear as a jacket, choose 48.
Even with the same height and the same clothes, the appearance can change greatly depending on the size you choose.
INDIGO combines indigo-dyed yarn with gray yarn. As a result, it is not a simple, single blue, but has a dimensional appearance with a subtle muted quality beneath the color.
As you wear and wash it repeatedly, the indigo gradually fades, changing the way it overlaps with the gray yarn.
INDIGO is not a fully developed color from the outset; over time, it grows into a color uniquely its wearer's.
BLACK, on the other hand, is not finished in a completely solid black either. The off-white weft peeks through between the black warp threads, gently softening the characteristic heaviness of black.
For those who have wanted to try a BLACK denim jacket or coverall but hesitated because it might look a little too bold, this is, I think, an easy color to incorporate into your wardrobe.
Neither color is fully formed from the start. As you wear and wash it repeatedly, the denim gradually changes in color and texture.
It is easier to wear than heavyweight denim, while retaining the pleasure of watching denim develop over time.
Its shape is based on workwear made around the time of the Second World War.
At a time when materials were limited, clothing construction also became less unnecessarily complex, evolving into simpler forms that retained only the elements needed to fulfill their purpose.
This coverall, too, features simple details throughout that evoke the era behind it.
That said, it is not a direct reproduction of the original garments.
The beauty of its form, which stands out precisely because of its simplicity, has been preserved, while the silhouette and details have been balanced so that it pairs naturally with contemporary clothing.
The vintage atmosphere at its foundation remains, while the overall balance has been refined so that it does not simply reproduce an old garment.
The contrasting stitches used here and there are not intended to make a bold statement as a design element. They blend in from a distance, with just enough presence to be noticed when viewed up close.
At first glance, it looks ordinary. Look more closely, however, and you will notice that it is slightly different.
It is the accumulation of these small differences that creates the distinctive character of this coverall.
At 10 ounces, it is light enough to throw casually over a shirt at this time of year. When the temperature drops a little further, you can layer a sweatshirt or knit underneath.
Rather than letting the season dictate how you wear it, you can adapt it to the temperature and your outfit each day.
A coverall you can live with for many years to come.
Next up: WW Ⅱ Work Trousers.
<cantáte>
"WW Ⅱ Work Trousers"
¥60,500 TAX IN
They use the same 10-ounce selvedge denim as the WW Ⅱ Coverall Jacket.
Worn together, the Jacket and Trousers create a cohesive workwear look. At the same time, each piece stands on its own when mixed with everyday clothing.
Another appeal of this garment is that you can consider how to wear the top and bottom separately, without being bound by the fact that they form a set.
The Trousers may at first glance look like traditional painter pants.
However, as you look more closely, details that differ slightly from the ordinary gradually emerge.
There are places where stitches overlap, and seams that would ordinarily be enclosed on the inside appear on the exterior.
If the only goal were a clean, orderly finish, this would be an unnecessary construction choice. Parts that would normally be hidden by conventional sewing are deliberately made visible from the outside.
Of course, this did not happen by chance.
This is not a sewing quirk that appears on just one pair; by incorporating the same specifications into every pair of Trousers, we have intentionally created a character that is not overly orderly.
Details that might appear at first glance to be sewing misalignments or mistakes are not concealed, but made to function as part of the character of this pair of Trousers.
The silhouette has a deep rise and falls straight to the hem without changing much in shape. While it evokes the presence of vintage painter pants, even when searching through vintage clothing, you will not find anything exactly the same.
The shape is familiar, yet somehow not quite ordinary.
I believe even that slight sense of incongruity is part of what makes these Trousers what they are.
Next, we would like to introduce another set.
<cantáte>
"Shade Jacket"
¥99,000 TAX IN
The fabric used is weather cloth woven from cotton and hemp.
Because it is tightly and firmly woven, it retains hemp's characteristic stiffness, while the addition of cotton prevents excessive roughness. Against the skin, it has a slightly dry texture.
Despite its weight, it does not feel especially heavy when worn.
Its high density keeps wind from passing through easily, so it is not limited to warm weather. Even after the seasons change and temperatures gradually fall, it is a material you can continue wearing for a long time.
Of course, the texture of this fabric will not remain exactly as it is at first.
With repeated wear, the distinctive stiffness of hemp gradually eases, softening as it adapts to the body.
The time spent wearing it remains directly in the fabric's character, including its wrinkles and wear marks.
This is a fabric whose changes can be enjoyed not only when new, but also over time.
When you hear the word “jacket,” it inevitably brings to mind a garment that requires a little care.
Handle it to avoid wrinkles, and send it to the cleaners whenever it gets dirty. For a tailored jacket, I think that is also a natural way to live with it.
This jacket, however, exists somewhat apart from that kind of handling.
Its origins lie in military wear. Rather than emphasizing that character, it has been refined into a shape that can be worn naturally as everyday clothing.
Wash it at home, let it wrinkle, and the fabric will gradually soften.
Rather than correcting those changes, this is a jacket you can continue wearing while accepting them as part of its character.
As it has already undergone a garment wash, fine ridges and texture are visible around the seams from the moment it is new.
Flat-felled seams are used throughout the main construction, including the back. Because the seam allowances are layered and sewn together, repeated wear and washing create puckering around the seams, while the fabric's wrinkles grow deeper.
The more you wear it, the garment's outline gradually begins to emerge.
It already has character when new, and is designed to continue changing from there.
The lining is made from a blend of cotton and rayon.
The shell has a dry texture and looks tough, but the lining allows garments to slide smoothly when worn, so there is little snagging even when layered over a shirt or knit.
Against its strong exterior, the inside properly supports ease of wear.
The shape is a relaxed box silhouette with a slightly longer length.
It has the ease of a coverall without looking as rough as workwear. Although it has plenty of volume, its outline as a jacket remains clearly defined.
Continually treating it with care is not the only right way to live with this garment.
If it wrinkles, wear it as it is. If it gets dirty, wash it at home.
In fact, I think this is a jacket that suits the character that emerges when it is worn with that degree of ease.
The final piece that can be worn as a set is the Shade M51 Cargo Pants.
<cantáte>
"Shade M51 Cargo Pants"
¥71,500 TAX IN
At its foundation is the familiar M-51, one of the many classic military trousers.
While retaining the characteristic details of the original M-51, including the large cargo pockets on both sides, we have given the silhouette a deliberately generous volume.
They are not a straightforward reproduction of familiar military pants.
While retaining a clear sense of what makes the M-51 distinctive, we have significantly changed how it looks when worn.
These are not pants meant to be worn slim and neatly contained.
Wear them with a substantial width, in a balance where the hem slightly pools over the shoes.
Precisely because of their volume, wrinkles and whiskering do not look sloppy; instead, they become part of the character unique to these pants.
These are pants that actually look better when treated a little roughly.
The distinctive feature is the tape extending from the cargo pocket.
Originally, it was used to secure items placed in the pocket so they would not shift around while moving. It is also said to have been repurposed as a tourniquet for wounded soldiers in emergencies.
Of course, that function is rarely needed in everyday life today. Even so, we have deliberately left it intact.
A function once added out of necessity becomes, over time, a detail that defines the appearance of these pants.
Although its purpose has changed, preserving its original background gives it a presence beyond mere decoration.
You can tuck the tape into the pocket or wear it hanging outside as is. Whether you show it or hide it slightly changes the impression of the pants.
Pair them with the Shade Jacket in the same fabric for a cohesive set-up.
These Trousers, however, have enough width and volume to support the entire styling on their own.
Even with a simple top, the pants alone establish the balance of the entire look.
Like the Jacket, the fabric gradually softens with repeated wear and washing, while whiskering and texture begin to appear around the seams.
Rather than having a finished character from the start, they gradually become your pair, shaped by the wearer's movements and the time spent in them.
These cargo pants are meant to be worn through the process of changing over time.
I have introduced three set-ups so far, but when it comes to actually wearing one, isn't the inner layer surprisingly difficult to choose?
A shirt can feel a little too stiff, while a T-shirt can feel a little too casual.
The thermal is what fills that gap just right.
<cantáte>
" Thermal L/S Shirt "
COL : GRAY , MINT , ECRU , OFF WHITE
¥29,700 TAX IN
The distinctive texture of a thermal creates a character different from that of a shirt or T-shirt.
It preserves the polished feel of a set-up while gently softening its formality.
When you want a casual look without going too relaxed, this is the right inner layer.
It is made from 100% Supima cotton, an extra-long-staple cotton grown in the United States.
Many standard thermals blend synthetic fibers to add stretch, but this one is made entirely of cotton. It retains a soft hand while offering enough stretch to properly follow the body's movement.
Because it touches the skin, it should feel good to wear using cotton alone.
It is a thermal that is comfortable to wear for long periods as an inner layer, without creating unnecessary stress.
Flatlock seams are used to reduce bulk from the seam allowances. By finishing the seams flat, they reduce snagging and discomfort when the fabric touches the skin directly.
The body is slightly longer, with a rounded hem. The design makes the hem easy to keep in place when tucked in and less likely to come untucked as you move.
It is designed not only to be worn on its own, but also with comfort and ease of layering in mind.
It is less stiff than a shirt and not as casual as a T-shirt. This thermal creates just the right balance beneath a set-up.
Less formal than a shirt, yet a little different from a T-shirt.
When you want to wear your usual set-up with a slightly different balance, I think a thermal can be a good option.
So far, I have introduced several items.
When new clothes arrive, they naturally catch my attention. Whenever new arrivals are lined up in the shop, my eyes are drawn to them too.
But adding new clothes can also change the way the clothes you already own look.
Try pairing a pair of pants you just bought with a jacket from last season. Take something you used to wear on its own and try using it as an inner layer this time.
A new piece can make something you bought a little while ago look new again.
When you think about it that way, the pleasure of choosing clothes is not limited to pieces from the current season.
More important than when a garment was made is how I want to wear it now. I think that matters far more.
New arrivals will continue to come in.
Alongside the new cantáte, take another look at some of the earlier cantáte pieces, too.
You are sure to find a way of wearing things that feels right for you now.
cliché Tomioka
